Resilient jaw type fastener



March 15, 1949. P, PENSABENE 2,464,414

RESILIENT JAW TYPE FASTENER Filed Feb. 25, 1947 I N VEN TOR. PE TER PENSHBE/VE QTTOBNEy Patented Mar. 15, 1949 iilll i [TED ZAMAM Fri-GE RESIL'IENTLJAW Tilt-PE FASTENER ..Peter. LPensabene, NewYork, N. .Y.

Application-February 25, 1947, Serial No. 730,702

.2 Claims.

.1 This invention relates generally 'toz-locks, but more specifically to a stud-engaging lock for .securing adjoining memberssuch as in garment pockets, mouths of receptacles, slide fastener :locks and in connectioniwithother articles icara closure member ir=thehousing thereof serves as the actuating means .for disengagement of the stud.

Further objects'of the inventionreside inthe simplicity of construction, efiicient operation and economy in manufactureof the device.

Theseobjects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress or" the disclosure andcas pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification is a' drawing showing a preferred form V of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective partly cut away showing gthedock structure in normal or closed position without the stud adapted to be engaged thereby.

Figure 2 is a sectional View of Figure 1 across the plane 2-2 thereof showing the stud engaged by the locking mechanism for locked position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 2 across the plane 3--3 thereof.

Figure 4 is a reduced top plan view of the locking mechanism with parts cut away and showing engagement of the stud.

In accordance with the invention and the preferred form shown, a housing is provided for the locking mechanism and is comprised of a bottom wall it, longitudinal walls ll, and end Walls l2, the bottom wall iii along the longitudinal axis being provided with an opening 53 adjacent one end to receive and have secured thereto a neck I4 of a cylindrical spacing and bearing member I5 provided with an upper neck portion l6. Along the longitudinal axis of bot- :2 .tom-wall-lil adjacentrthe Opposite endiisan opening all through which a stud'is.adaptedsto ipene- .trate and be-withdrawnfor locking, andiremoval purposes within and from the housing. JAS shown, :the stud is comprised of.- a main ibody i 8 in itheshape of a conic iru'stum, 713116 said'body lfi-at-lthe upper portion havingianiintermediate neck portion 59 and aseiniespherical: dome 12% of larger diameter than the neck portion i9. 71%- pending from the lower end ofsmain-bodyit is a reduced neckportion Z! :whichisadapted =to be secured to any edge 10f member:..i.2 ofza garment pocket, placket, mouth of -areceptacleor article, the,;housing itself :also being adapted 2170 be secured at complementary members such as :34 for purposes of detachablylocking.orxsecuring s. eh members 22-.and 3d 1 together. In :short, the combination of stud and lock ma be .ap-

;-plied-to any article as a'substitute for conventional securing purposes. between .twoelements.

Adapted to overlie wall it of the :lock housing are a pair of similar jaw arms 23 in :coplanar juxtaposed position, each of said. armsalongithe outer {longitudinal edge and z adjacent one 10f zithe ends having a recess 2 and at'thelend of :the inner longitudinal edge a-beveiedtcorner 2.5. rExtending inwardly-from the longitu'dinalredge 20f each of the jaw arms 3 .and -fibetwee11 thereeesses z l and the bevelled cornersazt is=' a. semicylindrical recess 26 to engage opposite halves of the cylindricalbearingmemberld. :Theupper edge of each of the-inner longitudinalgssidesyof Jaw. arms 23 isbeveledras; at 28.

.A, springis provided ,rto maintain thejaw-arms 23 in abutting relationship relative to each other and relative to the bearing member l5, and as shown, the spring is in the form of a resilient Wire having a curved portion 29 and downwardly extending terminal legs 39. The curved portion as is adapted to rest on the upper walls of jaw arms 23 and around the rear of the cylindrical bearing l5 while the downwardly turned leg portions are disposed in recesses 2d. Jaw arms 23 are each provided with recesses 2'? of semi-conic frustum shape along the inner longi tudinal walls and spaced from the semi cylindri' cal recesses 26 and together form the jaws which are adapted to engage the stud.

The housing for the locking structure is provided with a back cover plate 3i having along the longitudinal axis a circular opening 33 for attachment to the neck portion it of the bearing member l5. Plate 35 is also provided with a second opening 33a opposite the semiconic frustum recesses 2'! for permitting penetration of the top of semispherical dome 2!] of the stud when in locked position. In addition, plate 3| along the longitudinal axis has depending therefrom a wedge member 32 engageable with the bevelled and opposite upper edges 28 of the inner longitudinal walls of the jaw arms 23 for purposes of spreading the jaw arms 23 against the action of the spring 29 when the plate I'll is depressed about neck 16.

The housing may be provided with ear formations 35 adjacent the longitudinal and end walls II and I2 for purposes of securing the housing to a flexible member or wall 3 5 which is adapted to be secured to the member or wall 22 carrying the stud body l8. As shown, the housing at ear formations 35 is secured to member 34 by means of stitching or pins 36.

In operation, the stud for locking purposes is introduced through the opening l! in the housing bottom Wall I0 and forced against the conic frustum openings 21 of jaw arms 23 causin said arms to separate against the action of spring 29 until the bottom wall of the semispherical stud head 20 is above the upper walls of jaw arms 23. When this position is attained, the return action of spring [9 will cause the jaw arms 23 to return to closed position and to engage the neck portion I9 of the stud thereby causing a locking thereof. To release the stud from the locking mechanism, plate 3! secured to the neck it of the bearing member is depressed downwardly so that the Wedge member 32 engaging arms 23 at the bevelled edges 28 causes a separation of the said arms thereby permitting a withdrawal of the stud.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the size, materials and integration, location and shape of the parts of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A resilient jaw type fastener for the purpose set forth comprising a housing having a bottom wall, longitudinal and end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, said longitudinal and end walls having formations adapted for the securement of the housing to a flexible member, a bearing member secured to the bottom wall of the housing, a pair of jaw arms engagin with the bearing member and adapted to be separated from each other by pivotal movement with respect to the bearing member, a spring extending between the jaw arms and urging them together,

said jaw arms having opposing recesses, said housing bottom wall having an opening in axial registry with the jaw recesses, a stud adapted to be secured to the other member and adapted to be extended through the opening and to be normally gripped by the jaw arms against axial displacement from the jaw arms and from the housing bottom wall opening, a cover plate adjustable in the housing and adapted to be held against outward displacement from the housing by the flexible member, and means carried by the cover plate to separate the jaw arms to release the stud, said release means and cover plate being normally urged outwardly due to the action of the spring and jaws thereupon.

2. A resilient jaw type fastener for the purpose set forth comprising a housing having a bottom wall, upstanding walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and having formations thereon adapted for the securement of the housing to a flexible member, a bearing member secured to the bottom wall of the housing, a pair of jaws engaging With the bearing member and adapted to be separated from each other by pivotal movement with respect to the bearing member, a curved resilient spring connected to the respective jaws and surrounding the bearing member and adapted to urge the jaws together, said jaws having recesses of semi-conical shape, said housing bottom wall having an opening therein in axial registry with the jaw recesses, a stud adapted to be secured to another member and adapted to be extended through the semi-conical recesses of the jaws to spread the same and having an enlarged head thereon, said stud being of greater height than the height of the walls of the housing, said bearing member having an upper neck portion, a cover plate adjustable in said housing and having an opening receiving the upper neck portion of the bearing member to be guided thereby and to retain the bearing member against lateral displacement, a wedge element secured to the cover plate and adapted when the cover plate is depressed to cause the jaws to be separated to release the head of the stud, said cover plate having an opening through which the No references cited. 

